This invention relates to a pedestal mounted house and a method of constructing the house. The particular type of house disclosed in this application is that type in which the floor walls and roof are secured to a pedestal. The pedestal may be of the type formed by a series of spaced-apart pilings or piers, or may be the type formed by an enclosed wall of blocks or bricks. The type disclosed in this application is the enclosed wall type for purposes of illustration, and is shown supporting a square living area. Houses of this general type are very often found in resort areas, such as in the mountains.
In prior art houses of this type the corners must be supported, typically by separate structural columns which extend straight down into the ground from beneath the corners. All wall and floor leads are transmitted vertically into the floor trusses which transmit the loads to the pedestal. This increases the cost of the structure and detracts from its aesthetic qualities. Alternatively, pedestal type houses simply omit the corners altogether, thereby providing a living area which is in the shape of a cross. This greatly decreases the amount of livable space that can be placed onto the pedestal.
Typically, such houses are "stick built", meaning that the house is constructed on site from stick lumber which is cut to size according to the building plans. In such construction, load bearing members, usually columns, support the majority of the weight of the structure. The exterior and interior walls support only their own weight and a minimal amount of the roof weight. More recently, such houses have been constructed of building panels which replace certain parts of the stick built wall, floor and roof sections as a means of providing an airtight structure with good insulation. These panels are referred to as stress-skin panels and comprise a thick core of rigid EPS expanded polystyrene insulation which is adhesively welded between stranded lumber or wafer board facings or sheaths. This forms an integral structure that will not twist or warp and has about twice the strength of stick-built construction.
By utilizing stress skin panels in a new and more extensive manner to its maximum capacity, vertically unsupported corners can be supported by a properly loaded, integral wall and roof system.